To the esteemed Mayor of Watford,

In reply to my question last Thursday directed to your Facebook page you replied, “I don’t want to see facilities moved out of the town I am there to represent and see the slow death of my local hospital. That is not something I think is acceptable”.

Presumably, then, you think it is quite acceptable for the populations of St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted to have lost many of the services, including A&E, at their local hospitals and to be faced with long journeys by public transport for a five-minute appointment at a hospital placed at the extreme southern edge of its catchment area. Effectively you are telling the majority of the population of South West Herts to shut up and go away.

I would further point out that it is not “your” hospital. Neither is it the property of the Borough of Watford. It is an NHS facility which is past its “use-by” date, stupidly located, unable to cope with demand on its services and with a kitchen which rates only 1 out of 5. Would you eat in a restaurant which rated so poorly?

What is needed by the population of South West Herts is a centrally located new build hospital to last us through to the 22nd Century. Good access by road, rail and buses is essential. As I previously suggested to you the site at Junction 20 of the M25 formerly proposed as a motorway service area would seem ideal.

So come on then Peter Taylor. Look beyond your personal interests and consider the greater need of the people of South West Herts for a first class, accessible hospital. Or be forever remembered as the blinkered, self-serving politician who condemned a million people to third world healthcare.

I await your response.

John Hodgkins

By email